Time to Get Back into Cooking!

The crazy summer season is over and it’s starting to feel like Fall here in the Northeast.  I know it is officially still summer (and I know my California sisters are probably still in their shorts and sun dresses) but I’m excited about sweaters, boots and getting back into cooking! Here are the recipes on my “Must Try List”:

Grilled Summer Squash & Peach Salad:  I’ve got to try this one soon because summer produce isn’t going to last forever!  I love the idea of adding fruit to the dinner plate.  It’s so fancy but not complicated.
backtocooking1Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese & Honey Drizzle Tart: How colorful, pretty and different!  And beets are just so delicious!  Sides are sometimes so uninspiring and this is a good way to change it up!! backtocooking2Flank Steak: Mrs. Lilien writes one of my most favorite blogs – her graphics are fab.  Doesn’t she make this recipe look so easy!  Asian inspired dishes are not really a go to for me – mostly because I feel like you have to buy so many ingredients.  But this looks worth a try! backtocooking3 Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls:  Looks like a good combination of sweet, spicy, fresh & healthy to me!!   backtocooking4 Spicy Thai Curry Noodle Soup: Like I said, I’m trying to incorporate more Asian inspired dishes into my rotation.  This one will be delicious to try on a chilly Fall night! backtocooking5Skillet Lasagna: There is always a pasta on my “Must Try List”.  This is a “one skillet” recipe which means less clean up for Steve!!  And it says it takes less than an hour to make!  I’ve gotta try this to believe it!
backtocooking6 Raspberry Friands:  When we lived in Australia, the after school ritual was to go have afternoon tea!  All dressed in our school uniforms, Patty would pick us up and we would go to one of the many cute cafes in town.  Our little snack of choice was usually a friand!  They are like a little muffins but they are made with almond meal which makes it a little denser.  I don’t ever see them here in the US  so these will be fun to try! backtocooking7Nutella Stuffed Brown Butter Sea Salt Cookie:  Just the name speaks for itself! backtocooking8

Is anyone else hungry??  I’ll keep you posted on how they all turn out!!

Raspberry Cheesecakes in Mason Jars

Remember last week when I talked about my favorite Saturday of the year – the POPS?? And remember when I said that I would share the recipe for the cheesecakes in mason jars another time? Well, that day has come, people!

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These cheesecakes are pretty easy and pretty yummy! I just love how everyone gets his or her own individual cheesecake! And since I’m a sucker for mason jars, I simply couldn’t resist making this recipe. I think you will love them too! They’re perfect for picnics or dinner parties or even just satisfying that sweet tooth!

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Try it out for yourself! I double dare you. And then comment below to tell me what you think! Happy baking! xoxo

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P.S. If you get a bit impatient while the cheesecakes are in the oven, you can scoop some leftover graham cracker “crust” onto a spoon and then drizzle the filling on top like my mom did. (I caught her in the act!)

 

The Hunter Gatherer Dinner

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Last week, Steve went fishing and caught and brought back this AMAZING Striped Bass.  So the next day we decided that we were going to cook that freshly caught fish for dinner!

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Earlier that day, Emily and I went on our Ivy Adventure, the one that Emily goes on everyday.  We were walking along and talking about what we were going to make with the fish that night when we came across a woman looking in the brush along the side of the trail.  Annie (we later came to find out her name) informed us that “the berries are out”! (Emily and I looked at each other, both wondering what  she talking about!?)  Well, it turns out that there are wild blueberries and blackberries growing along the walk we take Ivy on everyday!  We would always see Ivy going into the brush and eating something but we just assumed that she was eating the leaves off the plants like she usually does… but she was actually eating yummy berries!!  We got so excited that we gathered up a whole bunch of berries and took them home with us (well, a whole bunch got eaten along the way too)!

We thought this is what men and women must have done back in the day… We were really proud of ourselves and deemed our dinner that night, “The Hunter Gatherer Dinner”!

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Emily thought it would be best to keep it simple.   She salt and peppered the fish (generously) and then cooked it on the flat top (it was raining that night so we couldn’t grill).  She then melted butter and lime zest together, spooned it on top of the cooked fish and then topped it with fresh basil and cilantro!

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We made an easy salad of greens, cucumber, radishes (from Bartlett Farm) and avocado with a fresh citrus dressing that Caroline whipped up from our favorite Forest Feast Cookbook!

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We served it with cous cous AND the famous Stever Cocktail (recipe to come)!  It was the most delicious meal!  And those hydrangeas are from our Mom’s garden!  It was a very rustic and very homemade meal :)

Then it came time for dessert!  We decided to make a galette… I knew how to whip one up because I had made one a few weeks before!  (Click here to see the Apple Galette I made!) It was so easy.  I washed the berries, mixed it with a little sugar, flour and lemon juice.  Spooned it on top of an unbaked, store bought pie crust, folded over the edges and baked!

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It was the best way to end that meal!  A big thank you to Annie for letting us in on her Nantucket secret!

And here is a little video of our Berry Picking Adventure on our Ivy Adventure… I didn’t have that much footage but you’ll get a feel of the experience :)