Day 11

Grilled Watermelon Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 (5-pound) seedless watermelon

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt (specialty salt is great here, if on hand)

2 cups fresh baby arugula, washed and dried

1 cup goat cheese, crumbled, preferably a French Chevre

Fresh finely cracked black pepper

 

Directions:

cut watermelon into 8 squares, roughly 3 by 3 inches and 1-inch thick without a rind

Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat
Cook until reduced to a thick syrup consistency and set aside.
Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat
Drizzle just enough olive oil over watermelon slices to thinly coat and place on hot grill pan
Grill each side about 2 minutes until grill marks appear; transfer to a plate and season with salt
Put about 1/4 cup of baby arugula on a serving plate, followed by a grilled slice of watermelon in the center, and top with a tablespoon of crumbled cheese and another 1/4 cup arugula
Add another watermelon slice and another tablespoon of cheese
Repeat with remaining ingredients
Finish each salad with a very light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic syru
Dust with black pepper and serve immediately

"I like rice. Rice is great if you’re hungry and want 2000 of something."
- Mitch Hedberg

Day 10

Peach Melba Spoom

 

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of water

1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar

5 peaches (about 1 1/4 pounds), halved and pitted

12 ounces raspberries (3 cups)

2 large egg whites

 

Directions:

Bring water and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring, until sugar dissolves

Let cool slightly

Refrigerate syrup for at least 30 minutes

Slice and puree 3 peaches with half the raspberries and 1/4 cup syrup in a food processor

Add more syrup to taste

 Pass mixture through a fine sieve; discard solids

 Refrigerate for at least 1 hour

Place whites and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in the heatproof bowl of a mixer set over a pan of simmering water

Cook, whisking, until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot to the touch, about 2 minutes

Whisk with a mixer on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes

Gently fold fruit puree into whites using whisk attachment
Freeze mixture

Slice remaining 2 peaches, and crush remaining raspberries

 Layer fruit with spoom in 4 glasses

 

"Let thy food be they medicine and thy medicine be thy food."

- Hippocrates

Day 9

 

Grilled Ham and Corn Kabobs

 

 

Ingredients:
2 ears of fresh corn
1 5 1/2-ounce can (2/3 cup) apricot nectar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 1/2pounds fully cooked ham, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium green peppers, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces

Directions:
Cut ears of corn into 1-1/2-inch-long pieces
 Blanch the corn in boiling water for 9 minutes
Drain
In a small saucepan, combine the apricot nectar, honey, lemon juice, and mustard.
Bring to boiling
Reduce heat; boil gently for 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly thickened
Meanwhile, on 6 long skewers, thread ham, green pepper pieces, apricot halves or quarters, and corn
Grill over medium-hot coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning often
Brush occasionally with honey mixture during grilling
Makes 6 servings

"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream which is kind of the same thing."
- Unknown

Day 8

 

Gazpacho

Ingredients:
4 cups tomato juice
1 onion, minced
1 green bell pepper, minced

1 cucumber, chopped

2 cups chopped tomatoes

2 green onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon white sugar

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

In a blender or food processor, combine tomato juice, onion, bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, tarragon, basil, parsley, sugar, salt, and pepper

Blend until well-combined but still slightly chunky

Chill at least 2 hours before serving

 

"It's fun to get together and have something good to eat at least once a day. That's what human life is all about -- enjoying things."

- Julia Child

 

 

Day 7

Sweet Corn Pizza

 

Ingredients:
4 8 -inches Italian bread shells (Boboli)
1/2cup dried tomato pesto or basil pesto
1 14 -ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1/2cup chopped green sweet pepper
24 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into bite-size

Directions:
Line a very large baking sheet (or two large baking sheets) with foil
lightly coat foil with nonstick cooking spray
Place bread shells on prepared baking sheet
Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 5 minutes
Remove bread shells from oven
Spread tomato pesto over bread shell, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges
Arrange artichoke hearts, corn and pepper on bread shell
Sprinkle with cheese
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and pizzas are heated through

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces, just good food from fresh ingredients."
-Julia Child

Day 6

Strawberry and Blueberry 4th of July Trifle

 

 

Ingredients:
1 vanilla cake mix and needed ingredients to make cake
1 pound strawberries
1 pound blueberries
1 fresh whipping cream

Bake {2} 9-inch cake layers (directions on the box)
Wash fruit
Slice all but 6 strawberries and set aside in a bowl
When the cake has cooled, trim the layers so they will fit into your trifle dish
Then stack (from bottom to top) in this order:
Cake, whipping cream, sliced strawberries, cake, whipping cream
Add bluberries and strawberries to create the american flag
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

"The one thing love and eggs have in common: they are best when fresh."
- Russian Proverb

Day 5

Apple Pie

Ingredients:
Pastry for 2 crusts
12 Sliced apples (that you have picked!!!)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 Tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon milk

Directions:
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice.
Combine sugars, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; add to apples and toss well to coat.
Fill pastry lined 9 inch pie pan with apple mixture. Dot with butter.
Place second crust on top of pie filling, cut slits in top of crust to vent. Seal the edges of the crust with a fork or by hand.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and milk. Brush mixture over top crust.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes more or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly

"This is my invariable advice to people: learn how to cook -- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all, have fun."
- Julia Child