Blueberry Clafouti

I am glad to find blueberries in the store today, so I picked up a pound of it to make this recipe for a clafouti. Clafouti is a soft and custard-like baked French dessert that is made with fresh seasonal berries. Depending on the sweetness of the berries, you should adjust the sugar accordingly, unless if you have a sweet-tooth it didn't really matter.

Fresh Figs with Mixed Greens

Figs is one of my favorite summer fruits as it is full of flavor and nutritious. It is rich in potassium, calcium and fiber. It is great eaten fresh, dried or cooked like a sauce to flavor other meats. I like mine served with a simple dressing. You can tossed in your favorite cheese and nuts of your choice. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 pack of fresh mixed greens or arugula
3-4 fresh figs
Feta cheese (optional)
chopped walnuts (optional)
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. extra virgin oil
2 tsp. orange juice
pepper to taste
Method:
1) Washed and wipe figs clean, remove stem and sliced lengthwise. Mix vinegar, oil, and orange juice, season to taste.
2) Place a handful of greens on plate, arrange figs and drizzle with dressing. Toss some feta cheese and walnuts on top and serve.

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Fresh Apricot Cobbler

Our apricot tree in the backyard has plenty of fruits this summer. It is nice to sit under the tree in the late afternoon to see the lovely fruits on its branch, ripening to a yellowish-orange color in the hot summer heat. The fragrant of the ripening fruits are already attracting the birds and bugs. Before they do, I picked a basketful to make this simple and delicious dessert with homemade crust.
Ingredients:
4 cups sliced apricots (in quarters)
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup milk
½ cup sugar
pinch of salt
½ cup shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. butter, cut in chunks
Clear casserole or baking dish (of desired size)
whipped cream or ice cream
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt and just 1 tablespoon of sugar. Make a hole in the center of the flour, add shortening. Using a pastry cutter, cut shortening until it resembles fine crumbs. Add milk to form a soft pasty dough. Set aside
2. Combine apricots, the rest of the sugar, butter, cinnamon, 3 tablespoon flour, and nutmeg in a bowl. Pour fruits into the dish and pat dough to cover the apricots. Lightly sprinkle some sugar and nutmeg on top. Using a skewer, poke a few holes into the mixture to allow steam to escape when baking.
3. Bake in 450°F for about 10-15 minutes; then reduce heat to 350°F and continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream.
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Crêpe with Blueberries and Banana Sauce

Here's something nice for a weekend breakfast. Crêpes is also a great accompaniment with seasonal fresh fruits. Aha! I could whip up a sauce with bananas and blueberries to serve with it.Yummy!
Ingredients: (makes about 10)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 cup flour
1 oz. sugar (optional)
1 oz. melted unsalted butter
Sauce:
½ cup blueberries
2 bananas, sliced
1 tsp. chopped fresh mint
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. cornstarch, mixed with a little water
Method:
1. In a large bowl mix eggs, milk, butter, and flour together. Blend to a smooth consistency and without lumps. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator for at least an hour. This will allow the flour to absorb the liquid and air bubbles to collapse, which will give you a nice and smooth crêpe. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more milk if neccessary.
2. In a small saucepan, melt sugar and water over medium heat. Add in fruits and mint and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch to slightly thicken the sauce. Add more honey if needed.
3. Heat a crepe pan or a non-stick shallow pan with a little butter. Using a small soup ladle, pour batter on to pan to form a thin layer. Cook over medium heat till one side is slightly crisp and turn over to cook the other side. Remove and fold into a triangular shape and keep warm. Repeat the method until all the batter is finished.
4. Serve with blueberries and bananas sauce on top.
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Mango Chutney

This pickle is a full of flavor and is great with almost any dish. I love it with plain rice or toast. The ones that you normally buy at the Indian stores are a bit salty for my taste. I prefer to make them whenever mangoes are in season. They keep well in refrigerator and also wonderful to give as gifts.

Ingredients:
2 green unripe mangoes, (peeled, and diced in small cubes)
4 Tbsp. Agave Nectar (or brown sugar)
½ tsp. salt
½ cup brown rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. raisins
Spices A:
3 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 red chilles
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. fennel
1 tsp. coriander
½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 Tbsp. oil
Spices B:
2 cloves
1 small piece cinnamon stick
2 star anise
2 cardamon pods, lightly crushed
Method:
1. Blend Spices A till fine. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil and fry spices till fragrant on medium heat. Add Spices B and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add vinegar, sugar, mangoes, and raisin. Cover and simmer on low for about 1/2 hour until the mangoes are soft. Season to taste. When cool, keep in refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
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Juice 6: T. Roosevelt

We are in juice heaven with our new Hurom juicer. It is fantastic as we use it almost every day. Here is another concoction that we made tonight.
3 medium apples, cored and sliced
1 mango, peeled and sliced in chunks
1 red pear, peeled and sliced in chunks
10 seedless grapes
You may be interested in the following:
Variation 7: 1 cup honeydew, 1 cup grapes, 1 cup watermelon with rind
Variation 8: 3 mangoes, 2 peaches, 2 apples, 1 cup blueberries
Variation 9: 3 peaches, 2 bananas
Variation 10: 2 apples, 1 cucumber, 1 stalk celery, 1/4 pineapple
Variation 11: 1 cup strawberries, 3 bananas, 1/4 cup pineapples

Juice 5: J. Buchanan

We bought a juicer online and it was awesome--the mechanism is one gigantic screw attachment! Not only that it squeezes out more juices, it is quieter and faster. Most importantly, the attachments are less bulkier and compact and it is easy to clean after juicing. All you need to do is pour some water into the reservoir. Both John and myself will be doing experimenting with different fruits and vegetables. We are now in juice heaven! Instead of making several posting of juices, I've included some of my concoctions based upon my likes and dislikes. Most importantly, I recommend fresh organic produce and buy from your local farmers.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped pineapple

7-8 ripe strawberries

2 medium apples, washed and cut in chunks

2 thin slices of ginger, skin removed (optional)

Method:

1. Juice all the ingredients and serve immediately.
You might like also like these:
Variation 2:
2 medium sized apples
2 medium sized carrots
1 tomato
1 cucumber
Variation 3:
2 apples
1 small bitter gourd
1 cup milk
Variation 4:
2 oranges
2 cucumbers
3 slices ginger
Variation 5:
2 apples
1 cup pineapple
1 cup watermelon with rind

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

                           

Strawberries, chocolate, and flowers reminds me of love and romance on this Valentine's Day! John and I decided to stay home instead and watched a movie after dinner. I prepared his favorite chicken satay and he made truffles. In addition to that, we picked up some sushi from our favorite Japanese restaurant.

Ingredients:

Fresh strawberries, green leaves left on

¾ cups. semi-sweet chocolate

1 tsp. shortening

Method:

1. In a saucepan over low heat or in a double boiler, melt chocolate and shortening. Stir constantly until it becomes a smooth mixture. Next spear strawberries with toothpicks through the top and dip fruit into the melted chocolate.

2. Place on a pan lined with waxed paper or simply stick the toothpicks into a piece of styrofoam to harden. Refrigerate for up to a day before serving. Tips: I place the toothpick between the prongs of the fork to harden.

  

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Juice 4: J. Polk

This is easy enough to make. Carrot is one of my favorite juice ingredients, its sweet and tastes good. It is rich in Vitamins and great for snacking.

Ingredients: (makes approx. 1 qtr.)
30 carrots
Method: Scrubbed carrots clean, cut into chunks and juice away.

Juice 2: G. Cleveland

 

Here's another version of my juice regime. I used the same ingredients as Juice J. Madison. This time I've added 2 pieces of red cabbage and I didn't blend in the yogurt and protein powder.

Juice 1: J. Madison

According to "The Food Pyramid" developed by the USDA, we should eat at least 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Here's my own simple and holistic method to this approach--Juicing! It's nourishing and tastes wonderful and refreshing. The ingredients are readily available in supermarkets and farmers market. You can start off with a combination of any of the following: celery; carrots; apples; tomatoes; oranges; pineapples, mangoes, watermelons, and any other fresh fruits and vegetables that you may find. Yogurt or ice-cream can be added to make a smoothie. You can be creative and let your tastebuds be the judge! I will try to create at least one juice recipe a day and name it after a U.S President.
Ingredients: (makes approx. 3 and 1/2 cups)
5 stalks celery, cleaned

2 medium apples, cored

4-5 carrots, scrubbed clean
1/4 cup of blueberries
3 Tbsp. plain yogurt
1 scoop Whey protein powder (optional)
1 tsp. freshly grind flax seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp. honey or Agave Nectar (optional)
Method:

1. Cut fruits and vegetables into chunks. Put all the ingredients into machine to extract the juice. Drain and pour into a container. If you wish to add any of the following: yogurt; flax seeds, protein powder-- then pour the juice into a blender or whisk in the ingredients.
2. Add the yogurt, protein powder and flax seeds and blend to mix. Serve immediately. Give it a stir if juice settles at the bottom. Note: I suggest using fresh produce and making in small bathes, its best consumed within 24 hours after preparation.

Apple Pancake

                                                                 

There are a couple of cooking apples sitting on the kitchen table and I am getting hungry...so I came up with this simple and easy dish for breakfast. Taste great with a dollop of creme fraiche and your favorite syrup. Yummy!
Ingredients:
2 cooking apples, cored and sliced thinly
1 Tbsp. butter, plus abit more for pan
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat or plain white flour
¾ cups milk
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 egg, beaten
Method:

1. In a bowl, mix flour, eggs, milk, cinnamon, baking soda for batter.

2. Heat pan with some butter, gently brown both sides. Drain and remove for later.

3. Reheat pan with some butter, pour about 1/2 cup of batter mixture in pan and lay the apple slices on top. Gently press the apple slices into the batter. Cook the pancake over medium flame. Turn over to cook the other sides. Serve with maple syrup, and powdered sugar.

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