Fruit Tarts

These are so good! I took a little from multiple recipes. The crust is just conf. sugar, melted butter and flour. I made 2 different fillings- one lemon curd the other is a pastry cream I concocted. I whipped cream cheese and a little sour cream. To that I added some vanilla, a little sherry and sugar. I prefer that filling over the lemon. Afterwards, I boiled some apricot jam and brushed the tops with it. I'm happy with 'em!

Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

A week long jury trial calls for something AWESOME for dinner. And so I made Cooking Light's Summer Squash and Corn Chowder. The only thing I may tweak next time is the thyme amount. It definitely enhances the soup but I am not a huge fan of the herb. We're getting to know each-other more... :) I did leave out the bacon but listened to their veggie option but omitting the bacon and substituting the drippings for 2 tsp. olive oil.

Great soup and I made a similar side dish to their recommended Tomato Bruschetta. I just made a simple cucumber, tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella salad with toasted bread.

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Bourbon Peach Hand Pies

Wanted to try this for 6 months or so, it was...BRILLIANT!!! The dough was extra buttery, but, darn, I guess i'll just have to deal. :) These are just lovely I would def. make these again, especially since peaches are in season and so sweet right now. Bourbon and peach, what a great marriage! Thanks Deb!!!!

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Tofu Broccoli Stir Fry

I was wanting some MEAT and in my case that means tofu or cheese. Cheese is meat-like to me. Maybe it's the consistency, (hah!) obviously it's been a long time since I've gnawed on a carcass. Martha Stewart's recipe actually for once came through. Man, I really have issues with that woman. I didn't even really need a recipe, but I enjoyed her sauce. I will make this again soon. Thanks Rat Bastard!

Recipe to follow...

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves 4

• 1 package (14 1/2 ounces) firm tofu, drained, cut crosswise into 6 slabs (about 3/4 inch wide), each slab halved horizontally and cut into triangles
• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, stalks trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds, florets separated into bite-size pieces
• Coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup cashews, toasted

Directions

1. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels. Top with more paper towels and another baking sheet; weight with canned goods. Let tofu drain, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook broccoli (stalks and florets) in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, 2 minutes. Drain; set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook until golden brown, turning gently halfway through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
4. Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, garlic, cornstarch, and 3/4 cup water; set aside.
5. Add broccoli to skillet; cook over high heat, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk reserved sauce to combine; pour into pan. Return tofu to pan; stir to coat, about 1 minute more. Serve topped with cashews.

from : http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/tofu-and-broccoli-stir-fry

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Spent some time in a coffee shop where they offered Tomato Basil Soup. I didn't want to spend 5 bucks for a cup but it did inspire me to make my own! I looked for a recipe online and found a good one from Ina Garten. 140+ positive comments- so I went for it. The only thing I couldn't do was puree. I wish I had an immersion blender or a Cuisinart that actually holds liquids (it seeps!) so I used a masher instead to break it up. It turned into a hearty meal. I also added a little cream at the end and reduced the amt. of salt, Ina is a sodium freak! I cut a fresh mozzarella ball in slices and garnished the soup with it.

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Citrus Queso Salad

This recipe was in a Cacique cheese ad within my newest Cooking Light. I loved the unexpectedness. The chipotle in adobo made the salad quite fiery. I enjoyed it, but my fellow dinner eaters had some issues with it. One thought his tongue was going to burn out of his mouth. Oops! Well we need more culture in our cuisine anyways. :)

Jello Banana Cream Pie

My step-dad's fav. dessert is Banana Cream Pie. I was snooping around looking for a gourmet recipe but then it occurred to me, have I ever been disappointed by the recipe on the Jello pudding box? Not really- ever! So this was my Father's Day contribution. The only thing I did differently was to actually make the pudding (on the stove top). Not a picturesque dessert, but it was just great. I used my organic graham crackers for the crust then proceeded to make the pie.

:)

Recipe to follow...

BANANA CREAM PIE

1-2 bananas 1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked & cooled 2 (4 serving size) pkgs. Jello vanilla or banana cream flavor instant pudding 2 1/2 c. cold milk 2 c. Cool Whip Slice banana into pie shell. Prepare pie filling mix as directed on package for pie, using 2 1/2 cups milk. Fold in 1/2 cup of the whipped topping and pour over banana(s) in shell. Chill at least 3 hours. Top with remaining whipped topping; garnish with banana slices if desired.