Heirloom Tomato and Gorgonzola Tart

Most Saturday mornings in summer, you'll find me at our local farmer's market.  Yes, Manhattan has farmer's markets and quite a few, in fact.  The big, amazing, awesome, I wish I lived across the street one is at Union Square.  Four times a week, farmers, growers, bread bakers and cheese makers drive down from the Hudson River Valley to set up their stalls.  While I used to have the pleasure of working only two blocks away, it's quite a treck from my upper east side apartment.  Fortunately, there's a smaller version of the market just a few blocks from home.

Because my local market is smaller, I have to make sure to get there early but Hadley doesn't mind accompanying me for a morning walk.  The selection also varies greatly based on what the farmers had ready to bring.  But the mystery and discovery is part of the fun of a farmer's market  My "find" last Saturday was a selection of beautiful heirloom tomatoes.

I knew immediately that I'd combine these sweet lovelies with some sharp Gorgonzola cheese and bake them into a simple tart.  Alongside a fresh salad, it was an ideal summer evening dinner.  Enjoy!



Ingredients

Crust:
1 Cup all purpose flour
1 Stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1" pieces
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Cup ice water

Filling:
3 Tomatoes, sliced thin
1 Cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 Cup ricotta cheese
1 - 2 Tablespoons milk, if needed
Salt & pepper to taste

To make the crust, add the flour, salt, baking powder and butter to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles course crumbs.  Do not over-mix.  With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube until a dough ball forms.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.  After the dough has chilled, roll it out on a well-floured surface into about a 10" circle. Drape over a 9" tart pan (preferably one with a removable bottom) and move your rolling pin across the fluted top to cut off the excess dough.

To make the filling, combine the Gorgonzola and ricotta cheeses in a bowl and mix together, by hand or with a mixer, until mostly smooth.  Add the milk if needed and season with salt and pepper.  Spread the cheese mixture evenly into the tart shell and top with the tomatoes.  Sprinkle a little salt over the top and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 35 - 45 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown.  Makes approximately 8 servings.

Kiwi Banana Smoothie and My New Kiwi Love

It's no secret that I love summer fruit and I always have a nice selection on hand.  But I have to admit that the little kiwifruit is not usually one of them.  Oh, I like the taste and always enjoy them when they're served to me on a fruit platter somewhere, but the idea of peeling those furry skins just doesn't appeal to me.  So, did you know that you can just scoop out the flesh without peeling them?  Neither did I.

Image Courtesy of Zespri

Going to a kiwi tasting and educational event sponsored by Zespri may not seem enlightening but I actually learned a lot.  Enough, in fact, to now add kiwis to my basket at the market.  Nutritionist Rebecca Scritchfield was on hand to explain that a serving (2 kiwifruit) has less than 100 calories, more vitamin C than an orange, more potassium than a banana and loads of antioxidants.  And no peeling necessary.  Just cut them in half and run a spoon along the edges until the flesh pops right out.  Knowing that turned a seemingly inconvenient fruit into an extremely portable one.

I also had my first taste of the new SunGold Kiwifruit which is a cross between the green and gold varieties. Rather than the typical hairy skin, the SunGold has a smooth skin that is technically edible...although I think I'll just scoop this one, too.  It has even more vitamin C than the green kiwi and is wonderfully sweet.  I enjoyed a martini made with it and that flavor is still on my mind so I'm pretty sure I know what I'll be drinking next weekend.

I also never thought to use kiwis in any way other than just eating them as a fruit but now I've been educated.  Kiwi cocktails are outrageously good and are definitely going to be made around here.  But the biggest revelation of the party for me was the the kiwi BLT, or rather a KLT.  Yes, slices of kiwi replace tomatoes in the classic sandwich and the combination of sweet fruit and crispy bacon is amazing.  Another must-make recipe in my collection.

I left the party with a little goody bag filled with kiwis that I used to make a fresh smoothie.  As I was doing my weekly online grocery shopping from Fresh Direct, though, I saw they had the new Zespri SunGold available.  Right into my cart they went.  Kiwi cocktails and KLT's coming right up.  Enjoy!











Ingredients
1 Small banana, peeled and frozen
1 Kiwi fruit
1/2 Cup low fat Greek yogurt
1/2 Cup low fat milk
1 Teaspoon honey
Pinch of salt

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until blended.  Note that kiwi fruit contains an enzyme that can break down dairy products so this smoothie is best consumed when it's first made.

For more information about Zespri, their growing practices, the varieties of kiwifruit and plenty of kiwi recipes, please visit their web site and their Facebook page.

I was compensated for writing this post but the recipe and opinions are my own.  Thank you for supporting the products I love and use regularly in my kitchen.

Blueberry Pie with Lemon and Thyme

Today I have the pleasure of kicking off my first article for Hoosier Homemade.  I was in a serious mood for pie and couldn't pass up some beautiful ripe blueberries.  But I also decided to borrow from one of my favorite quick breads and add cornmeal and lemon zest and thyme.  And goat cheese.  Yes, goat cheese and blueberries are a happy couple.  The result was definitely a winner and one that I'll be making again and again.

Head on over to Hoosier Homemade to see the recipe!

Thirsty Thursdays: S'mores Martini

S'mores Martini

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this adult version of a classic summer treat!

Greek Burger with Tzatziki Sauce

Summer brings out my burger craving in a big way!  Sure, there's that whole outdoor grilling thing but, actually, I love mine made in burning hot cast iron pan in my own kitchen.  However they're made, though, I've been wanting them non-stop.  As it happens, my friend, Kita, from Girl Carnivore is hosting a burger month - 31 days, 31 burger recipes by 31 amazing bloggers.  And there are cool giveaways, too, so be sure to enter the raffle at the bottom of this post.

Every day I see what my fellow #BurgerMonth bloggers made and, every day, I say "Ooh, I want that and oh, I want that, too!"  But I had to decide what flavors I would contribute to the party and my love of Greek food meant we're taking a trip to Greece via my cast iron pan.  Creamy tzatziki sauce, the salty bite of fresh feta, crispy baby spinach and plenty of oregano.  Oh, yes, Greece was a good place to go for a burger.  Enjoy!












Ingredients
1/4 - 1/2 lb. Ground beef
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 Teaspoon dried oregano
1 - 2 Slices fresh tomato
1/4 Cup fresh spinach leaves
2 Tablespoons tzatziki sauce (recipe below)
2 Tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Sauce:
3/4 Cup Greek style yogurt
1 Clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 Cucumber, diced
1 Teaspoon chopped dill
Salt & pepper to taste

Season your beef patty with salt, pepper and the oregano on both sides.  Heat the oil in a cast iron pan and cook the beef to your desired doneness.

Combine all the ingredients for the tzatziki sauce in a bowl and mix.

When your burger is cooked the way you like it, spread a tablespoon of the sauce on the bottom of a toasted roll, add the burger, tomato slices, spinach and remaining sauce.  Sprinkle on the feta cheese.

A huge thanks to all of the fun bloggers who were just as inspired by a month of burgers as I was and the awesome companies that have donated prizes to #burgermonth , El Diablo Hot & Spicy Mustard, FireWire Grilling Skewers, Hamilton Beach, KitchenIQ, The Spice House, and Wisconsin Cheese







a Rafflecopter giveaway

No Churn Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream #IceCreamforOXO

Cold ice cream, hot summer day - you don't need convincing, right?  So only two questions remain.  What flavor and do we make it or buy it?  I'm guessing that, those of you with ice cream makers, choose to make it while those who don't (that would be me) opt to purchase.  What's that you say?  You can make ice cream without a machine?  Thanks, I think I will!

The truth is that I've been meaning to try no-churn ice cream for quite a while but have opted for laziness and a pint of vanilla from the store.  But two things happened recently that finally pushed me over the edge.  I had a taste somewhere of cheesecake ice cream, developed an overwhelming urge for it and couldn't find it again and my friends at OXO sent me some of their tools to try.  Tools that are just right for ice cream making.  Oh, all right!

In hindsight, of course, I don't know what took me so long since it's quite easy to make.  And the flavor choice was obviously easy.  The cheesecake version I'd had was plain but, being the one making it also means being able to customize it.  As it happens, my friend Jo-Anne was over for a visit recently and brought me a cheesecake.  I froze the leftover cake but decided to chop a bit of it up into the ice cream for a little texture.  I also especially love blueberry cheesecake because the fruit gives a nice tang to cut the richness.  Hmm.  I quite like this customizing business.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 Cups blueberries
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
8 oz. Cream cheese
14 oz. Sweetened condensed milk
2 Cups heavy cream
1 Teaspoon cheesecake extract (vanilla is fine, too)
Pinch of salt
2 Slices baked cheesecake, roughly chopped into 1/2" pieces (optional)

Add the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice to a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook for a few minutes until the berries are soft enough to crush and the sauce begins to thicken.  Allow to cool and then refrigerate for at least an hour.

Add the cream cheese and condensed milk to a large bowl and, using a stand or hand mixer, blend until smooth.  Add the extract, salt and heavy cream and continue beating for about 5 minutes or until soft peaks form.  Fold in the cheesecake pieces, if using.  Pour half the mixture into a freezer safe container with a tight fitting lid (I used this one), add the blueberry spread and top with the remaining ice cream base.  Using a butter knife, gently swirl the mixture.  Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours.  Allow to soften slightly before serving.  Makes approximately 12 half cup servings.

Note:  OXO provided me with the tools to help make the ice cream but the recipe and opinions are my own.  Thank you for supporting the brands and products I love and regularly use in my kitchen.

Thirsty Thursdays: Rummy Pistachio Milkshake

Rummy Pistachio Milkshake

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this boozy ice cream treat!

Creamy Roasted Heirloom Tomato Dressing

If you've recently noticed fewer salad greens in your local market, it may very well be my fault.  The way I've been buying massive quantities of all sorts of lettuces could have contributed to a nationwide shortage.  What's my sudden passion for romaine and butterhead?  To scoop us this dressing, of course, and shovel it into my mouth.  The next option would be a spoon.

I blame the fact that I'm starting to experience photosynthesis on my friend Renee who writes the Magnolia Days blog.  She posted a recipe for a tomato vinaigrette and my life hasn't been the same since.  I tried her original recipe first and instantly knew that tomato dressing was going to be a regular thing in my house.  But I do like to tinker and on one of my many shopping trips for tomatoes and lettuce, I spotted these yellow heirloom beauties.  Roasted for extra flavor, creamy, because I like creamy dressings, slightly sweet, slightly tangy and I had that perfect oomph to create a lettuce panic among farmers.

I will warn you about one thing.  As you make this, do not, whatever you do, taste the roasted tomatoes when you take them out of the oven.  Um...you already did, didn't you?  And you ate them all standing right there and now you don't have any left for the dressing, right?  I'll wait here while you go get some more tomatoes.  Maybe get a few extra because you will be making this again and again.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 Large yellow tomatoes (red is also delicious, just a slightly stronger flavor)
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 Cup milk
1/4 Teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Large clove garlic, peeled
1 Tablespoon chopped chives
Salt & pepper to taste

Slice the tomatoes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over them and roast in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

Place the garlic in a food processor and pulse until it's chopped finely.  Add the roasted tomatoes, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, mayonnaise, milk, sugar and red wine vinegar.  Puree until smooth then season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add a bit more milk if you like a runnier consistency.  This recipe probably makes 4 servings but, around here, it doesn't!

Apple Tarte Tatin

Today my fellow holiday food bloggers group members and I are celebrating the upcoming Bastille Day.  So what is that, exactly, other than an excuse to eat French food?  In short, it's the French National Day that commemorates the beginning of the French Revolution with the Storming of the Bastille on July 14th 1790.  And we're all about helping the French celebrate this occasion.  Here in New York there are actually quite a few celebrations and fairs on Bastille Day so...bring on the French food!

There's no shortage of great French pastries and I pretty much like them all.  But there's always been a special place in my heart for tarte tatin.

I still remember the first time I had it in a restaurant, many years ago, and it was like nothing I'd ever tasted before.  Fruit, caramelized in butter and sugar on top of a moist cake.  So good.  And what better time than this holiday to finally make it myself and to happily discover that it's not very complicated at all.  Enjoy!






Ingredients
1 Stick unsalted butter
1 Cup sugar
1 Pinch salt
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced

2 Eggs
2/3 Cup sugar
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1/3 Cup sour cream
Zest of 1 lemon
1 Cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, melt the stick of butter over medium heat and stir in the cup of sugar.  Let it dissolve until it turns into a syrupy liquid.

Butter a 9" glass pie pan and arrange the apple slices on the bottom.  Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the apples.

In a large bowl, cream together the eggs and 2/3 cup of sugar with a stand or hand mixer.  Beat in the 6 tablespoons of butter, sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and slowly incorporate into the wet mixture.  Pour the batter evenly over the apples and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Allow to cool for at least half an hour then place a large plate over the top and invert.  If a piece of apple sticks, just ease it out of the pan and place on top.  Makes approximately 8 servings.

Check out the other French goodies from my fellow bloggers!

1. Apple Tarte Tatin from Hungry Couple
2. Chaussons aux Pêches from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
3. Dark Chocolate Lavender Sables from gotta get baked
4. Chocolate Cherry Brioche from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
5. Gougères (Herbed Cheese Puffs) from Crumb
6. Mendiant from Cravings of a Lunatic
7. Lemon Raspberry Madeleines from Kelly Bakes
8. Chocolate Orange Torte from What Smells So Good?
9. Cherry Clafoutis from Pineapple and Coconut
10. Meyer Lemon Fingerling Potato Salad from Magnolia Days

Thirsty Thursdays: Icy Cold Watermelon Martini

Icy Cold Watermelon Martini

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this tall, frosty drink to keep you cool!

Gelato Crunch Cake

With the July 4th holiday weekend coming up and plenty of summer outdoor entertaining in general, I've been thinking a lot about what desserts to serve.  After a meal of grilled meat and starchy sides there's not usually much room left for a heavy cake.  And the hot weather begs for something cool.  So I find myself scooping out dishes of ice cream but wanting to somehow make it more special.

The other day I had the opportunity to sample the new line of gelato flavors from 
Häagen-Dazs and, as I kept dipping my spoon into each flavor over and over, I was thinking that I should serve them all and let everybody choose which one they wanted.  And that's when the light bulb went on over my head.

I'm obsessed with the combination of salty and sweet so why not make a salty and sweet crust as a base for the gelato.  And then I thought I should even go one better and add some salty and sweet crunch right into the gelato.  I couldn't wait to try out my idea and it turned out even better than I'd hoped.  I used half sized spring-form pans so that I could create a "cake" for each flavor of gelato.  They can be made ahead and kept in the freezer until the party and guests can choose a large slice of one flavor or smaller slices of all flavors.  Or large slices of all flavors!  Whatever works...  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 Cup crushed graham crackers
1/2 Cup crushed salty pretzels
1/2 Stick unsalted butter, melted
1 Pint Häagen-Dazs Gelato (your choice of flavor)

Combine the graham crackers and pretzels in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until crushed.  Pour in the melted butter and continue pulsing until all the crumbs are coated.

Press the crumbs into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 4" spring-form pan.  You should have a couple of tablespoons left over.  Spread the leftover mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place the filled pan next to it.  Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Allow to cool completely.

Remove gelato from the freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 - 10 minutes until slightly softened.  Scoop into a bowl and gently fold in the loose baked crumbs.  Add the mixed gelato to the baked crust, top with a few more crumbs and freeze for a few hours or overnight.  When ready to unmold, run a sharp knife under very hot water for a few minutes and gently run it along the sides of the spring-form pan.  Repeat until you've loosened the whole thing and then open the mold.  The cake should pop right out.  Return to the freezer until ready to serve.  Note that I doubled the recipe and made two cakes at the same time but you could also triple or quadruple it to make them all.

New Häagen-Dazs gelato flavors are Caramelized Banana Chip, Pistachio, Tiramisu and Pomegranate Swirl.

Disclosure:  I was compensated for creating this recipe but my opinions are my own.  Thank you for supporting the products I love and use in my kitchen.

The Month in Review - June 2014

Excuse me but where did June go?  I mean, didn't it just get here yesterday?  I'm sure that each of the bitterly cold winter months lasted at least 8 or 9 weeks so I'm sorry to see how quickly the first of the summer months disappeared.  But, the lovely outdoor weather hasn't gone to waste and I'm taking every opportunity to be outside.  OK, I spend some time in my kitchen and then go outside.  And that has resulted in some pretty amazing new recipes.  Before we head back outside, though, let's take a look back at the good eats and drinks of June.  Enjoy!

Check out the June drinks on A Cocktail Life!

Cherry Cheesecake Chocolate Truffles

Crispy Baked Onion Rings

Mexican Tortilla Pie

Crunchy Quinoa Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette

Frozen Banana Berry "Cake"

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

Yogurt Fig Cake

Fruity Iced Tea Lemonade

Fruity Iced Tea Lemonade

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Lipton, but all my opinions are my own. #bemoretea #pmedia  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

When I think of cooling, refreshing summer drinks I think of iced tea and lemonade.  OK, I also think of frozen daiquiris but we'll discuss that another time.  Rum aside, there are usually beverage pitchers in my refrigerator, in various stages of steeping and cooling, so that I can have my favorite drinks handy.  As for the Keurig brewer, I've never paid it much attention since I'm not the coffee drinker in this house.  That is, until I recently discovered that Lipton makes K-Cups of iced tea for the Keurig.  Um...what?

It was probably really strange to watch how excited I was as I saw my Keurig brew my first cup of iced tea.  Better still, Lipton makes a variety of iced tea flavors including my beloved lemonade.  Yup.  Perfectly tart and sweet and it can be brewed right over ice for my immediate enjoyment.

But if they can give me the convenience of ice tea and lemonade together in a K-Cup, I can go one better and add fresh summer fruit.  And mint!  Oh, it's so good with some mint.  Can you tell how happy I was with all of this?


Ingredients
Lipton Iced Tea Lemonade K-Cup
Peach slices
Plum slices
Handful of blueberries
Slices of lemon
A few sprigs of fresh mint

Place a non-glass cup under the brewer and fill with ice.  Insert a Lipton Brew Over Ice K-Cup into your brewer and hit the brew button.  Fill a tall glass with the fruit, pour your freshly brewed ice tea into it and top with the fresh mint.  I brew a few at a time and put everything into a large pitcher so that the fruit steeps and the tea absorbs the sweet flavors.

You can find Lipton K-Cups in stores and online at nationwide retailers in flavors such as Iced Tea Lemonade,
Classic Unsweetened and Refresh Sweet Tea

For more information on Lipton® Iced Tea K-Cup® packs visit http://www.liptonT.com, http://facebook.com/LiptonUS or http://twitter.com/Lipton

Thirsty Thursdays: Frozen Apricot Daiquiri

Frozen Apricot Daiquiri

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this sweet, frosty sipper!

Yogurt Fig Cake

This treat actually came about through circumstance and accident.  Over the weekend I met an old friend for brunch and stopped into a large gourmet market near the restaurant on my way home.  I'd already noticed that the local fruit vendors had figs for sale but they were too soft and wilted.  This market, however, had firm and perfectly ripe figs for sale and I couldn't resist buying them.  But now that I had them, I wasn't sure what to do with them.

The next day I received my grocery order from our local online delivery service and they accidentally included a full fat Greek yogurt instead of the low fat I normally order.

I've been meaning to try yogurt in a cake for a long time but hadn't gotten to it yet.  So maybe having the full fat stuff was a sign I should finally bake a yogurt cake.  The question of what kind of cake answered itself pretty quickly with a glance at the fresh figs and this became a very delicious accident and circumstance.  And my verdict on baking with yogurt?  Moist, tender...I may never bake without it ever again.  Enjoy!


Ingredients
2 Eggs
1 Cup sugar
1 Stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Container (approx. 7 oz.) Greek style yogurt
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Cups all purpose flour
2 Teaspoons baking powder
1 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of ground ginger
3 Fresh figs, quartered

Using either a stand or hand mixer, add the eggs and sugar to a large bowl and beat together until fully combined.  Beat in the butter, vanilla, lemon zest and yogurt.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, ginger and cinnamon.  Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet until all the flour is incorporated. Butter and flour a loaf pan (add parchment paper for easy removal) and pour in the batter.

Place the quartered figs along the top of the batter and press in slightly until only the tops are showing.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Dust with powdered sugar before serving.  Makes 10 servings.